Share Initial assessment of the ear before the first of two surgeries. Images: Cullen et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/eve.13450 The successful repair of a large hole in the external ear of a horse has been described by veterinary surgeons. The 15mm wide hole in the ear of the 5-year-old gelding, who was used for showing, arose as a delayed complication after laser removal of a sarcoid. There were concerns that the horse was at risk of catching the hole on objects and causing further damage, so a repair was undertaken. Matthew Cullen and his colleagues at the Leverhulme Equine Hospital in Cheshire, England, noted that reconstructive surgery on the ears of horses was rare.